Bonnet



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[2e maior l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. HENRI, OE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BONNET.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,082, dated May 1, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. HENRI, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladies Bonnets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a view of the improved bonnet showing the same in an open state and inclosed in a valise or band-box for packing away. In this figure the three principal parts forming the bonnet and their shape are shown also the attachments for uniting the parts together so as to give the bonnet the shape represented by Fig. Q, which shows in perspective the perfectly formed bonnet with a portion of the curtain of the same turned over so as to clearly eX- hibit the curtain fastenings and front fastenings of one side of the bonnet.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention consists in putting together the four parts constituting the bonnet in such a manner that the same may be made to assume a flat state and in this shape be readily packed away in a very compact boX, without tumbling or injuring the parts, or thev trimming of the same; and when the bonnet is to be worn the parts are so put together and furnished with tie strings and hooks and eyes or buttons and loops, as will be hereinafter described, that the required neatness of shape may be given to the bonnet by simply tying the strings and hooking the parts together, at the same time the peculiarity of the bonnet will be hidden from view, and on the head it will have all the appearance of those of the ordinary style of manufacture.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention I will proceed to describe the manner of making and using it.

My invention refers to that style of ladies bonnets known as the shirred bonnets, and which are made up of silk or other material and reeds or strips of covered whalebone. The strips of reed are sewed between two thicknesses of material and the shirring is made by pressing the material together in regular plaits. The crown is formed somewhat differently and is made by bending a suitable stiff strip in the shape of a crescent and covering it with the material above mentioned, and gathering the material at the two ends of the strip in any suitable manner. The parts are all sewed together and the bonnet is afterward turned to suit the fancy. These are what are called shirred bonnets and their shape and stiffness is obtained by the form of the pieces brought together, and from the strips of reed or whalebone sewed between the pieces. Now instead of making up these bonnets in the present way I make the principal part of the bonnet of four pieces, viz: a front piece, A, and crown, D, with a strip, B, interposed to complete the front of the bonnet and a curtain, C. The front piece, A, is sewed to its strip B, from a to a, Fig. l, and these two pieces are attached to the crown by sewing them from b, to b, leaving the balance of the edges free. The curtain, C, is sewed to the bottom edge of the crown in the usual manner, but it is not sewed to the front pieces, A B. The four parts having thus been sewed properly together the bonnet may be trimmed with feathers and lace, flowers and cap in any of the present styles, and finished up in a neat and handsome manner. When thus made the bonnet will lay fiat, as represented clearly by Fig. 1, and it may be packed into a band-box G, of the shape shown in this figure, the thickness of the box being only sufficient to allow the feather and curtain plenty of room. Now in order that these parts may be suitably brought together and secured in the desired bonnet shape I attach to the two lower corners of the crown, D, two strings or narrow ribbons e, c, to the four corners of the strip B, strings or ribbons f f f f', and one button, g, (on the outside) on each end, to the front piece, A, and to its corners I attach strings or ribbons, la, h, and also buttons, z' i, (on the outside) placed at suitable points, and to the inside edges of the curtain I sew four loops, j j j y'. Now with these attachments the bonnet is formed into its shape by tying the crown strings, c e, to the two corner strings, f f, the strings, f f, to the front (A) strings, h, L. This forms the frame or body of the bonnet; the curtain is now looped to the four buttons, g g, and 'i z', by loops, j y' j y', and the bonnet is complete with the parts all neatly and securely attached.

The greatest advantage obtained by making bonnets in the above-mentioned manner is the facility of packing them away in a compact state Without injury to the frame I claim-V j Y v 1o `or the trimlning, but it is also found that As a new article of manufacture, the bonthese bonnets may be made with greater net constructed as described, for the purease and convenience, on account of the ease poses set forth.

5 With which the Work can be reached. The A HENRI application of my improvement does not enl hance the expense of the bonnet, nor is the Witnesses: Work on them of such a'character that ordi- J os. CLEMENT, nary milliners cannot perform it. A. JAEGER, "1 

